WOLSEY - changes to govt

WHO WAS WOLSEY ?

• Born 1472 to a butcher - commoner

• Won scholarship to Oxford - highly intelligent

RAPID rise:

1512 - entrusted with organisation of H’s military campaign into France

1513 - Bishop of Tournai

1514 - Bishop of Lincoln

1515 - Made Cardinal by Pope Leo X/ Made Lord Chancellor by Henry

1518 - Made Papal Legate by Leo X

• Papal Legate = Pope’s representative in England. In 1524 - he was given additional powers to act on his behalf in England - unusual

WOLSEY’S PERSONALITY

• some started to view him as an Alter Rex

• Had enemies e.g. Duke of Norfolk who saw him as arrogant and vindictive

• Was said to have flattered and manipulated the young king - offered lavish gifts hilts using legal powers as Lord chancellor and network of informants to intimidate rivals

• Reputation for taking revenge e.g. summoned young priest Amyas Paulet who had previously embarrassed him to court - demanded daily attendance at court plus demands of money to ruin his reputation

WOLSEY AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

• As lord chancellor - head of judiciary - directly responsible for work of King’s council and for the chief law courts, e.g. Star Chamber, Chancery and Requests

  • REQUESTS - ‘poor mans court’ - access for people to seek justice

  • CHANCERY - legal disputes

  • STAR CHAMBER - criminal cases

WOLSEY AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM - SUCCESSES

• Ensured the courts were accessible to the poor - common peoples usually stood no chance against the rich/ could afford to seek justice due to high legal fees.

• Often reviewed cases himself and if he found complainant wads unfairly treated he transferred it to one of his courts for new hearing - determined that whether rich or poor guilty should be punished

• Sought to ensure chief law courts would be fair and balanced as elites usually dominated proceedings in local courts

• Strengthened star chamber, encouraging it to hear cases of misconduct by nobility

• Encouraged commoners to bring complaints to court and increased capacity of courts to hear cases - more justice served

• Wasn’t afraid to prosecute members of the nobility

WOLSEY AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM - FAILURES

• Huge backlog of cases created due to increased capacity of courts and commoners coming to seek justice

• Wolsey started by her of schemes to reform the law but failed to see them through.

• Attempted no institutional changes

• Quick to abandon ideas

WOLSEY AND THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM - SUCCESSES

• 1512 - introduced more efficient system of taxation - TUDOR SUBSIDY - based on income not property - still basis of our tax system

• 1522 - ordered national survey to assess individuals ability to pay taxes - first attempt of its kind for nearly 500 years

• 1526 - Eltham ordinances - consisted of a set of instructions that reformed and streamlined the expenditure of both the household and privy chamber. By making the financial administration here more efficient/flexible - wished to rely less on parliament to raise funds

WOLSEY AND THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM - FAILURES

• Due to the new tax system - demanded forced loans from up to 200k people. Despite reforms the amount of may collected wasn’t enough and Wolsey was forced to summon parliament (1523) to enable extra funds to be granted

• 1523 Amicable Grant - asked parliament for £800k for army - by 1525 only £300k raised through tax - forced to ask church. Taxed laity 1/6 of income, clergy 1/3 equivalent - just 10 weeks given. Provoked widespread opposition - Henry himself had to cancel it.

WOLSEY AND THE NOBILITY - NEGATIVES

• Wolsey used the law against people he held grudges against:

  • Got Duke of Buckingham executed by convincing Henry it was the best thing to do

  • Thomas Lucas (Henry’s solicitor general) criticised Wolsey - sent to jail with no trial